k_Street Consulting, LLC Blog

k_Street Consulting, LLC has been serving the Washington area since 2009, providing IT Support such as technical helpdesk support, computer support, and consulting to small and medium-sized businesses.

Useful IT Services that Will Work for Your Business

Useful IT Services that Will Work for Your Business

Managed Services provide endless benefits to any business, no matter the size. Having a “Fix it when it breaks” attitude is an unrealistic way to run your business in an era that is so heavily technology-dependent. Today we dive into the many reasons a Managed Service Provider (MSP) can maximize your investment. 

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Tip of the Week: The Better Way to Take a Screenshot on Windows

Tip of the Week: The Better Way to Take a Screenshot on Windows

For the Windows user seeking to take a screenshot, there is no lack of options. Most notably, many keyboards today offer a Print Screen key that allows the user to capture an image of their entire display. Having said this, there are better options, such as the platform’s integrated Snip & Sketch tool, with its greater functionality and greater ease of use.

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Don’t Pull Your Hair Out Over Human Resources

Don’t Pull Your Hair Out Over Human Resources

Businesses go about their human resources in all different ways, but in today’s small and medium-sized business, it may not be looked on as crucially as it once was. The HR department may have a lot of responsibilities, but today there are tools that are available that can keep organizations from investing large amounts of capital into HR. Let’s take a look at the way HR is being approached today.

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Mobility Is Useful, But It Has Some Definite Risks for SMBs

Mobility Is Useful, But It Has Some Definite Risks for SMBs

More businesses rely on their mobile strategies than ever before. For the most part, this uptick in mobility has helped sustain some business at a time when many would be expected to fail, but relying more on mobile definitely comes with some risks. This month we thought we would take a long look at mobility and how it can be a risky proposition for the modern small business.

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Don’t Let a Malicious Application Undermine Your Mobile Security

Don’t Let a Malicious Application Undermine Your Mobile Security

While you’ll probably hear us recommend that you update as soon as possible at every opportunity, the source of these updates is important to consider. This is especially the case now that mobile security firm Zimperium has discovered a new mobile spyware that pretends to update your mobile device… but actually steals data and monitors the user’s search history and location.

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Don’t Let Burnout Overcome Your Business

Don’t Let Burnout Overcome Your Business

It can be said that most of 2020 and the first couple of months of 2021 have been difficult for most people. Not billionaires, of course, but most other people have found the past year difficult on some level. That’s why it isn’t surprising to hear people talk about workplace burnout. Today, we’ll define burnout and what is being said about it. 

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What Makes a Ransomware Attack So Expensive?

What Makes a Ransomware Attack So Expensive?

Ransomware is no laughing matter, especially in terms of the costs it can impose on its victims—this is, after all, what ransomware is famous for. However, some of these costs can be derived from unexpected expenses and exacerbate the already significant issues that ransomware poses. Let’s go over some of the costs that you should anticipate, should you be targeted by a successful ransomware attempt.

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Taking a Close-Up Look at the 3-2-1 Backup Rule

Taking a Close-Up Look at the 3-2-1 Backup Rule

Data, at least nowadays, effectively makes the world go ‘round. Data is responsible for powering the operations that a business needs to undergo if it is to survive. This—as you may imagine—makes data incredibly important for businesses of all sizes to protect.

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The SMB’s Checklist for Necessary IT Services

The SMB’s Checklist for Necessary IT Services

Managed IT services have grown from a niche offering to a well-known concept in recent years, with many businesses already relying on outsourced IT services to some degree. In many ways, this only makes sense, as it allows businesses to enjoy access to services that would otherwise cost too much for them to independently adopt and support.

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Frustrated by Your Android Device Lately? A Bad Update Might be Why

Frustrated by Your Android Device Lately? A Bad Update Might be Why

With a global market share of 71.9 percent, the Android operating system that Google provides is well and away the most utilized there is today. Despite the fact that different phone manufacturers will fiddle with the OS to fit into the devices they create, Android tends to be pretty stable—which is part of the reason why many users were surprised around March 22nd, 2021. This is when these users discovered that their applications were crashing incessantly.

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Should IT’s Role Be Expanding in Your Business?

Should IT’s Role Be Expanding in Your Business?

Every business’ goal is to turn enough of a profit, and some businesses are better at it than others. One way that modern businesses can improve their revenue generation is by utilizing technology to cut down on inefficiencies and fuel productivity through collaboration. Today, we’ll take a look at some of the ways that businesses can expand their business through technology. 

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Tip of the Week: Rearranging Your Gmail Messages

Tip of the Week: Rearranging Your Gmail Messages

Email remains a popular tool in the business setting because of its undeniable usefulness in the office—but having said that, it can have its negative impacts on your productivity simply due to how much it can take to manage it appropriately. With so many messages that are crucial for you to keep track of coming through email, let’s go over a fancy trick to help you manage your messages in Gmail.

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Technology is Boosting the Professional Services Industry

Technology is Boosting the Professional Services Industry

Professional services run the world. As a result, it is imperative that they innovate with the times. It is increasingly important that professional services companies keep their finger on the pulse of new technology. Let’s take a look at some of the technology that can benefit professional services companies.

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Going Over the Basics of Collaboration Solutions

Going Over the Basics of Collaboration Solutions

With businesses depending on technology more now than ever, it stands to reason that the collaboration solutions that are available would improve as demand increases. Today’s business needs a collaboration solution that allows them to communicate, manage tasks, and be a reliable solution for teams separated by more than just a wall. Let’s take a look at the modern collaboration tool and how they provide powerful benefits for the modern business.

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Why a Document Management System Can Be Advantageous

Why a Document Management System Can Be Advantageous

“Paperwork” has long been associated closely with life in the office, but like so many other “classic” workplace elements, it has been replaced by more modern means. In this case, a Document Management System (or DMS) offers a small-to-medium-sized business far more utility than its predecessor, the filing cabinet.

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Tip of the Week: Politely Protect Your Data with Android Guest Mode

Tip of the Week: Politely Protect Your Data with Android Guest Mode

For many people, their mobile device contains a mixture of sensitive information and personal details. In some cases, some of the data isn’t even theirs—instead, it belongs to their workplace. Naturally, this makes many people less inclined to share the use of their device, but most people also want to avoid being rude.

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Building Data Redundancy Is Important

Building Data Redundancy Is Important

Backup strategies vary. Some companies choose theirs for its value. Some back up everything. Some ignore it all together. While we definitely don’t advise the latter, we do understand that it is a financial investment for what is essentially insurance. What’s more effective is building a backup plan that fits the type of data you create and store. 

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Automation Can Bring a Your Business Serious Value

Automation Can Bring a Your Business Serious Value

Today’s business is always searching for a leg up, and this often means doing what it can to improve their operational efficiency. Companies can approach this in several ways. They can try to cut out redundancies, they can invest in training, or for many businesses, it means leveraging innovative new technological tools that are designed specifically for this purpose. 

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If You Don’t Do Technology Right, You May Regret Doing It at All

If You Don’t Do Technology Right, You May Regret Doing It at All

Businesses of all kinds depend on the technology that they use, whether it’s their email, a CRM, or just a single PC with a spreadsheet program. Those businesses that keep it real simple, have to know that there is technology out there that can help them bring in more revenue streams or properly manage the ones they already have. Those that look to technology to solve their business’ operational woes, tend to have several options to choose from. One thing is certain, if you have proper counsel when making technology decisions for your business, your chances of spending your capital wisely increase substantially.

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Building a Reliable Remote Workforce with Managed IT Services

Building a Reliable Remote Workforce with Managed IT Services

Remote work has been a popular topic for a few years, but over the past year, with so many people forced into working from home, a lot has been written about it. Today, we wanted to briefly talk about some of the technology that is suggested for the remote business, and what we can do to help you support remote workers. 

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Patch Your Software to Avoid Being Breached

Patch Your Software to Avoid Being Breached

In the course of doing business everyone has their own specific responsibilities. One overarching responsibility that all employees need to have today is awareness. The health of a business depends on it. A staff’s failure to properly shoulder their load of security can have an immensely negative result for both the employee and the company. Today, we’re going to explain that when your organization gets breached by hackers, that fault is largely yours.

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How VoIP Can Help the Business that Adopts It

How VoIP Can Help the Business that Adopts It

For all the communication services and tools available to businesses nowadays, the telephone remains a staple in everyday processes—despite it often being difficult to manage and expensive to maintain. This is largely because today’s technology enables businesses to use a telephone system that exceeds the capabilities once provided by telephony, for a far more manageable investment.

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Look How Much the Internet has Changed

Look How Much the Internet has Changed

When the Internet was established, it was a marvel. Now people could move information across the world in a matter of seconds. This is why the term “world wide web” was coined. Nowadays, there are literally billions of users on the Internet and the rules have had to be changed. This has some online services in conflict with government regulations and has an impact on how users are able to use the Internet. Let’s look at a couple of examples. 

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Examining the FCC’s Efforts to Fix Internet Access in the US

Examining the FCC’s Efforts to Fix Internet Access in the US

Internet connectivity is an increasingly important component to a business’ capabilities in this day and age, as well as all the more crucial to an individual’s everyday life. However, with financial difficulties restricting this access for many, the Federal Communications Commission has stepped in. With a $50 subsidy being made available to low-income homes each month, this situation warrants a closer look.

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Tip of the Week: Highlighting Certain Outlook Messages

Tip of the Week: Highlighting Certain Outlook Messages

While no email platform is immune to mismanagement, Microsoft Outlook can quickly become filled with outdated and redundant messages that detract from the communication that it is meant to provide. Fortunately, there is a bit of a hack that you can use in Outlook to help prioritize your most pressing messages. Let’s dive into it.

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How to Improve Your Business with Solid IT Practices

How to Improve Your Business with Solid IT Practices

Technology is important to most small businesses today, especially when looking to improve it affordably. That’s why when making technology decisions, you should consider the following solid practices.

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How to Find the Right Management Software for Your Business

How to Find the Right Management Software for Your Business

Software is a major part of doing business nowadays. Not only do you depend on it to manage core functions of your business, that software can be purchased in multiple different methods. When choosing management software, your business needs to choose one that fits your needs, returns long-term benefits, and provides a platform that will help you build your company. Let’s go through some considerations you’ll need to consider when choosing management software.

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Tip of the Week: Working with a Virtual Desktop in Windows 10

Tip of the Week: Working with a Virtual Desktop in Windows 10

With Windows 10, you have no shortage of features and capabilities to take advantage of. One such capability: the use of a virtual desktop. Found near the Start button in your taskbar, the Task View button enables you to create and manage these virtual desktops, which we’ll discuss here.

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What Can Be Done to Counter COVID-19-Themed Scams?

What Can Be Done to Counter COVID-19-Themed Scams?

As commonly happens with any disaster, COVID-19 has inspired no short supply of scams. While these scams initially focused upon the relief funds that were delivered to people to help sustain the suffering economy, the ongoing vaccine distribution efforts have given those behind these efforts a new means of attack.

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Are Utilities as Secure as They Should Be?

Are Utilities as Secure as They Should Be?

Recently, a story broke in Florida that sounds like something out of a terse action film: a hacker managed to access a water treatment facility and subjected the Pinellas County water supply with increased levels of sodium hydroxide. While onsite operators were able to correct the issue right away and keep the public safe from danger, this event is the latest in a line of cyberattacks directed at public utilities. Let’s consider this unpleasant trend.

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VoIP Is a Solid Option For Your Business’ Communications

VoIP Is a Solid Option For Your Business’ Communications

Finding ways to save money is something that most entrepreneurs take pride in. Today, as costs of doing business continue to climb, VoIP can present the business owner with the rare solution that actually saves them money. Hosted VoIP, in particular—where your phone system is hosted in the cloud—presents an innovative and straightforward way to reduce your business’ operational costs. Let’s take a look at some ways it goes about doing this.

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Tip of the Week: Keep Track of Your Priority Gmails

Tip of the Week: Keep Track of Your Priority Gmails

Email is undeniably a useful tool, but it can be a real drag on productivity and a hindrance to manage. Then again, there are some messages that you absolutely need to keep track of as they contain sensitive information. Gmail makes keeping messages under your thumb simple.

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March Has 3 Important Technology Holidays

March Has 3 Important Technology Holidays

Novelty holidays have been all the rage for the past couple years. The thing is that if you are going to celebrate World Kimchi Day on November 22 or its sister holiday, World Cabbage Day on February 17, you either really like cabbage, or you really like holidays. With so many people using technology as a major part of their life and business, it’s no surprise that it is well represented on the holiday calendar. You have a few we’ve already missed: National Technology Day on January 6, Data Privacy Day on January 28, and National Clean Out Your Computer Day on February 8, but there are three important IT “holidays” this month. Let’s take a look at them now.

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Checking a Website's Safety from Its Google Result

Checking a Website's Safety from Its Google Result

Google search is synonymous with searching the internet, but that hasn’t stopped them from constantly innovating the service. One of the most recent updates is to give users more context for the content that returns on search results. This works to protect users from potentially clicking on websites that could contain threats. Today, we discuss this innovation and how it will look to the end-user.

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Cloud Migration Doesn’t Have to Be Stressful

Cloud Migration Doesn’t Have to Be Stressful

With cloud computing being utilized by a majority of businesses nowadays, it’s not as big of a surprise when one wants to move files from a locally-hosted server to a cloud server; or, from a cloud server to a new cloud server. This presents a fair amount of problems that you have to be mindful of if you want to move the data and applications over properly. Today, we’ll take a look at some problems you may face, and how to make sure they don’t weigh down your next cloud migration. 

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Older IT Practices That Still Hold Up

Older IT Practices That Still Hold Up

While looking to the past isn’t often an idea tied to information technology, there are times when it can play a valuable role in your strategy for it. Let’s look at some modern IT concepts that rely on foundational ideas set back in the day.

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The Correlation of Productivity and Patience

The Correlation of Productivity and Patience

A business that has workers that are above average at maintaining productivity is typically a successful business. There are an endless number of suggestions on how to be and remain productive, and how to sustain that productivity. One thing that isn’t typically mentioned in all of that self-help advice is the role that patience plays in productivity. This month we thought we would do just that.

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Tip of the Week: Embedding a YouTube Video into a PowerPoint Presentation

Tip of the Week: Embedding a YouTube Video into a PowerPoint Presentation

If you’re trying to share an idea in a presentation, adding a brief video clip can make it very simple to communicate with your audience. With this in mind, it is quite helpful that Microsoft PowerPoint makes it simple to embed a YouTube video directly into your presentation, whether you’re using PowerPoint 365 or PowerPoint 2016.

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How Blockchain is Changing Health Technology

How Blockchain is Changing Health Technology

You’d think that the healthcare industry would be at the very cutting-edge when it comes to information technology implementation. That isn’t always the case. One technology that developers are really looking to take advantage of in the healthcare space is blockchain. The technology behind cryptocurrency is being used to help patients better control their care. Let’s take a brief look now. 

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What to Do Immediately If You’ve Lost Your Phone

What to Do Immediately If You’ve Lost Your Phone

In our last blog we gave you some advice on what to do if your phone has gone missing, but if it has been stolen or lost for good, there are more pressing issues than the anger and loss you feel; you need to ensure that you and the people you do business with are protected. Let’s take a look at what you need to do to make that happen.

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How to Find Your Lost iPhone or Android Smartphone

How to Find Your Lost iPhone or Android Smartphone

Imagine for a second you are out to a socially distant dinner date with the friends that you barely get to see. You wrap up dinner and say your goodbyes and when you get to your car you realize that you don’t have your phone. COMPLETE PANIC! Your whole life is on your phone. Now imagine that when you went back to the restaurant to get your phone, it wasn't anywhere to be found. We’ll talk you through how to proceed. 

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Benefits IaaS Can Bring to a Business

Benefits IaaS Can Bring to a Business

Of all the technologies currently used by businesses, the Internet is a strong contender for the most important. Regardless of their size, many businesses invest thousands each month into online Software-as-a-Service solutions as a means of more affordably equipping their users. Let’s talk for a moment about another cloud platform that has seen some advancement: Infrastructure-as-a-Service.

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Why You Need to Do a Security and Compliance Audit

Why You Need to Do a Security and Compliance Audit

Businesses that don’t see after their vulnerabilities are just asking to be breached. That’s the consensus view in the IT industry. It’s disconcerting, then, to consider how many businesses don’t actively assess their IT security, especially considering how much these platforms change from year-to-year. Today, we’ll briefly discuss what a security and compliance audit is, and why we think you need one. 

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Why Redundancy is EVERYTHING for Data Backups

Why Redundancy is EVERYTHING for Data Backups

With a business’ data being such a priority nowadays, protecting it against all circumstances needs to be appropriately attended to. One fundamental component of this protection is the implementation of a proper backup strategy. Let’s go over the most foundational element of a successful backup, and how we recommend businesses to accomplish it: redundancy.

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Building Consistency Only Helps Your Business

Building Consistency Only Helps Your Business

In business, building a strategy that produces results is the goal. If you are looking, you can find all types of stories about entrepreneurs changing the tried-and-true methods and finding abrupt (and sometimes sustainable) success. These stories may even have you questioning the way that you do business, especially if things aren’t going terribly well. Rest assured, that the best thing that can happen is to build processes that promote consistency. 

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Build a Business People Want to Work For

Build a Business People Want to Work For

Running a business is hard. There are a million-and-six things that have to be done each day just to keep the doors open. For this reason, it is crucial that a business’ employees want to be there. In today’s competitive marketplace, there simply isn’t time to waste on workers that don’t pull their weight. So, how do you get them to want to be there? This month, we will take a look at that very issue. 

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Artificial Intelligence and the Tools Designed to Improve Business

Artificial Intelligence and the Tools Designed to Improve Business

AI has been one of the leading innovative topics to hit the technology world over the past couple of years. At first, people thought that AI was only the process of creating machines that will inevitably destroy the human race, and didn’t understand that algorithmic machine learning could have stark benefits for business and society. Today, AI can be found in all types of different pieces of software. Let’s take a look at a couple of ways AI is currently being used in business.

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Disaster Recovery Considerations

Disaster Recovery Considerations

The Novel Coronavirus has made its way around the world and it has certainly changed the way a lot of businesses do things. Some businesses have put in some type of disaster recovery platform. This is basically a plan for returning to continuity after some type of disaster, but we are seeing that many business continuity plans were not broad enough to take on a worldwide pandemic. Sadly, many of these businesses won’t open again.

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Solid State Is the Way to Go

Solid State Is the Way to Go

Whenever you ponder the purchase of a new computer, one important specification that you likely consider is its data storage. This was especially the case when you considered a new machine for family use—there are a lot of documents and photos to store, and any kids you have will want to fill it with games and other apps. Nowadays, it’s a little different. Rather than focusing on storage, you’ll want to focus on the computer’s speed. Let’s get into it a little further.

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Strategies Anyone Can Use to Maintain High Levels of Productivity

Strategies Anyone Can Use to Maintain High Levels of Productivity

Productivity improves as time management improves. It seems like a simple notion, but if you aren’t deliberate about managing your time, there isn’t much positive movement that is going to be had in the productivity meter. This month, we thought we would help you by giving you a few strategies that will work to improve your employees’ productivity. 

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Is Going Paperless Cost Effective?

Is Going Paperless Cost Effective?

Printing is costly and those costs come from a lot of different directions. They come from paper and ink and the fact that printers seem to need constant maintenance. For some businesses, it’s all too much and they are actively looking for ways to go paperless and cut out their printing and filing costs. Today, we will examine whether or not forsaking the troublesome printer is actually cost effective. 

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Think Businesses are Only Hit Once by Cybercrime? Think Again

Think Businesses are Only Hit Once by Cybercrime? Think Again

Let’s begin with a cold, hard fact—if a business has been targeted by cybercrime from an outside source, there is a 68 percent chance that another attempt to access their network will come within one year. This statistic comes from Crowdstrike, a cybersecurity solutions provider. Despite this reality, there seems to be a perception that there’s some unwritten rule somewhere that a company can only be attacked once. 

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2021 is Poised to Hold Some Big IT Challenges to Overcome

2021 is Poised to Hold Some Big IT Challenges to Overcome

Considering that 2020 was… less than great for many businesses, it should come as no surprise that there will likely be difficulties that carry on for some time into 2021. Naturally, these difficulties will require some new ideas and fresh thinking to properly resolve, as well as an openness to adopting innovative technologies. Let’s look ahead to some of the IT challenges we anticipate that 2021 will hold for businesses.

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You Better Update Your Microsoft Password Today

You Better Update Your Microsoft Password Today

While we would strongly recommend that you update your passwords more than once a year, now is as good a time as any to do so. Reflecting on this, let’s go over how to fully lock down your Microsoft accounts.

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Hey You… Update Your Google Password, Right Now!

Hey You… Update Your Google Password, Right Now!

If you haven’t taken the time to go through and update your passwords lately, particularly the one protecting your Google account, you should do so… despite it undeniably being a pain. After all, Google serves various purposes and is attached to many accounts for most. Considering the number of data breaches and other cybersecurity issues this potentially contributes to, you will want to ensure your Google account is properly locked down.

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Lessons to Learn From Lego’s IT Development

Lessons to Learn From Lego’s IT Development

Businesses of all sizes have been able to successfully overcome operational challenges by rethinking and adapting the technology they utilize. Let’s consider a huge example and look at what The Lego Group (as in the building blocks) has done to address some of their technological challenges with improved solutions—as well as how your business can do the same.

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Tip of the Week: Essential Information Technology Practices

Tip of the Week: Essential Information Technology Practices

Information technology is a critical tool for many businesses today, which means \\it is crucial that your IT is compliant to a few key best practices. Let’s go over these practices so that you have a roadmap to ensure that your operations can remain secure and productive.

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Why Is It Super Important to Keep Your Software Updated?

Why Is It Super Important to Keep Your Software Updated?

Your business’ software is one of its critical assets, so it really can’t also host many risks to your security and business continuity. Therefore, keeping your software up-to-date and fully patched should be a priority. Let’s go over what patch management entails and why it is so important.

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How Not to Teach Your Team About Phishing, Courtesy of GoDaddy

How Not to Teach Your Team About Phishing, Courtesy of GoDaddy

GoDaddy—the domain registrar and web-hosting company once famed for its risqué advertisements—is facing some significant backlash for a much different reason. On December 14th, GoDaddy’s employees received an email that appeared to be from the company, promising a holiday bonus. However, while the email was from the company as it appeared to be, it was actually a phishing test that the hosting provider decided to run.

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Tip of the Week: Four Tips and Tricks Within the Google Play Store

Tip of the Week: Four Tips and Tricks Within the Google Play Store

The Google Play Store is the Android operating system’s primary source of applications and widgets and can do a lot more than many might first think. Let’s consider a few useful tools and tricks that are incorporated into the Play Store that you should keep in mind.

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Net Neutrality and the Digital Future

Net Neutrality and the Digital Future

In the United States, the political atmosphere in 2020 was extremely testy and one element that we typically keep our eyes on is the net neutrality rules that seem to change every few years or so. Today, we thought we’d revisit the issue and tell you what to expect over the first few months of the new administration. 

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What You Need to Know About the Massive Solarwinds Hack

What You Need to Know About the Massive Solarwinds Hack

2020 has been filled to the brim with adversity and just as we’ve mercifully arrived to the end, the largest and most brazen cyberespionage attack ever has been carried out. Today, we’ll tell you what we know about the attack, what problems it caused, and what we should learn from it going forward.

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Have a Plan with Your Business’ Technology

Have a Plan with Your Business’ Technology

Some businesses will put pressure on themselves to get some of the most innovative technology tools available. On the surface, this seems like a great idea, but just because a piece of technology exists, doesn’t mean it will help your business right now. We thought it would be a good time to take a look at some strategies that will help you build the technology your business needs to see a positive return on those investments.

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Is 2021 the Year Your Business Embraces VoIP? (It Should Be)

Is 2021 the Year Your Business Embraces VoIP? (It Should Be)

Since its widespread adoption, the telephone has proved to be a hugely beneficial tool for businesses of all kinds… despite the considerable costs that it can incur. Fortunately for your business’ budget, however, there is a far more cost-effective means for you to enjoy the benefits of telephony: VoIP, short for Voice over Internet Protocol. Let’s go over some of the reasons why VoIP is just a better option for any business.

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Luck Isn’t a Cybersecurity Strategy

Luck Isn’t a Cybersecurity Strategy

Many small business owners will temper their investments into IT security because they are of the notion that because their businesses are so small, they can’t be affected by hackers. We get it: prioritizing IT security is more expensive than you like and that money can justifiably be used elsewhere for more gain. The problem is that small businesses can and do get targeted by hackers. In fact, over 25 percent of all data breaches happen to small businesses. In today’s cyberthreat climate, your business can’t rely on luck. Let’s take a look at what you can invest in to protect your network and infrastructure.

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Watch Out for Malicious Browser Extensions

Watch Out for Malicious Browser Extensions

Browser extensions are nifty little programs that can be implemented into your web browser itself, adding onto its capabilities and utility… at least, that’s the concept. Unfortunately, these programs also give cybercriminals a means of secretly launching an attack. The security firm Avast recently identified 28 such third-party extensions that have been installed—according to the download numbers, at least—by about three million people on Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge combined.

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Even Santa’s Workshop Can Benefit from Managed Services

Even Santa’s Workshop Can Benefit from Managed Services

While some places get to take the holiday season off to some extent, other establishments are at their busiest—and as such, don’t have time for any inefficiencies. Let’s meet an employee from such an establishment, located far up north, to learn about how any workplace might benefit operationally from managed IT services.

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Managed IT Services Provides Outstanding Results

Managed IT Services Provides Outstanding Results

When you think of managed services, you may not really understand just how it fits into your business. This month we wanted to demonstrate how a managed services provider can deliver a lot of value. 

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Where MSP Services Come From

Where MSP Services Come From

For most people, the term tech support is pretty self-explanatory. The terms managed services and MSP… not so much. Let’s go over what makes managed services and what we do as a managed service provider so different from the IT support you may be used to. To start, we’ll review where the idea of an MSP came from, and end with what one like us can do for you.

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What Exactly Is a VPN?

What Exactly Is a VPN?

One of the major shifts we’ve seen in business in 2020 is the establishment of the remote workforce. Stay-at-home orders brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic made it necessary for businesses to find solutions on how to securely transfer information from what could be unprotected networks. The virtual private network is a solution to this problem. Today, we will describe what a VPN is, what its primary use is, and how secure it really is for secure file transmission. 

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Mobile Devices are Becoming Very Important for Businesses

Mobile Devices are Becoming Very Important for Businesses

No doubt you’ve noticed the increased use of smartphones. No matter where you go, people are on their phones. Sometimes they are using them in places you wouldn’t even imagine. For the modern business, employee smartphone usage can be a major pain in the side. Today, we’ll go into how smartphone usage helps and hurts a business and how to go about keeping employees from being on their phones for large chunks of the workday.

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How Managed Services Developed into What They Are

How Managed Services Developed into What They Are

When you see that we offer tech support, you almost certainly have an idea of what that means. However, upon hearing about our typical service delivery for the first time, many people are really surprised by how different our services—as a managed service provider—are. These differences are not an accident. Let’s go back in time a little while to explore how managed services came about, and what difference they could make for you.

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Tip of the Week: Making Use of Chrome Actions

Tip of the Week: Making Use of Chrome Actions

As the most common Internet browser, Google Chrome is in a position where they always need to be coming up with new draws to maintain their hold on the market. Their latest efforts may help them to do so. Let’s take a moment and examine what Chrome is implementing, and how you can use it to your advantage.

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Improving Your Backup Strategy Doesn’t Have to Hurt the Bottom Line

Improving Your Backup Strategy Doesn’t Have to Hurt the Bottom Line

If you are a regular visitor to our blog, you know just how important we think data backup is for any business that relies on data. If your business stores and creates data, you need to have a backup strategy in place. It’s that simple. Today, we want to discuss how to improve your data backup strategies with a BDR.

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Some of 2020’s Biggest Tech Flubs

Some of 2020’s Biggest Tech Flubs

It’s no secret that 2020 has been relatively tough on all of us, down to the technology that so many use and rely on each year. Now that we’re in the home stretch towards a hopefully better 2021, let’s look back at some of the technologies that didn’t deliver as promised and some of the other issues that we saw this year—some relatively harmless, and some decidedly not.

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Tip of the Week: 5 Ways to Improve Mobile Business Etiquette

Tip of the Week: 5 Ways to Improve Mobile Business Etiquette

Mobility is important to today’s workers and can be valuable to many different types of businesses; so much so that businesses demand that employees stay connected. Sometimes, especially when in public, this can become a social problem. Today, we will discuss mobile phone etiquette and five ways that you can improve yours. 

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Some Consumers are Aware of Data Privacy, But It’s Not Enough

Some Consumers are Aware of Data Privacy, But It’s Not Enough

With the holidays approaching, and with the global pandemic still underway, online shopping is going to be under even more demand than usual in 2020. With all of these transactions online, it would stand to reason that people would be more keen to follow best security practices than ever before. This week, we take a look at how people are staying secure online and whether or not the need for speed outweighs their security and privacy efforts.

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Have You Applied the Recent Chrome Patches?

Have You Applied the Recent Chrome Patches?

Being told by an IT provider how important it is for you to update your software is probably a bit like your grade school teacher telling you how important it is to do your homework: of course they’re going to say it, it’s their job to do so. However, we’re telling you what the Department of Homeland Security announced when they released a warning to update your Google Chrome web browser.

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You Even Need To Worry About Phishing In Your Text Messages

You Even Need To Worry About Phishing In Your Text Messages

As serious as they are, cyberattacks are not always labeled with the most serious-sounding names. We are, of course, talking about phishing: the use of spoofed email addresses and fraudulent messages to get hold of data, or whatever goal the attacker has in mind. One of the silliest-sounding versions of phishing—smishing—has proven to be of particular risk.

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The End is Nigh for Adobe Flash Player

The End is Nigh for Adobe Flash Player

Once the cornerstone of many websites on the Internet, Adobe Flash Player is finally going into retirement. As soon as December 31, 2020 rolls around, support for the software will end. This means that it needs to be removed from your business’ technology before then.

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Automation Has Workers Looking Over Their Shoulders

Automation Has Workers Looking Over Their Shoulders

Automation does nothing but help businesses, but can the same be said for the people that work at these businesses? With more systems relying on some semblance of artificial intelligence, smart automation could replace up to a quarter of the current workforce over the next ten years. Today, we will take a look at the importance of profitability and how AI is likely going to usher in a whole new era of human existence. 

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A Few Budget Options for Your 2020 Smartphone Search

A Few Budget Options for Your 2020 Smartphone Search

For the past couple of weeks we’ve taken a look at the 2020 flagship smartphones as well as some innovative new devices that are available now. This week, we will take a look at some of the budget options that are available to consumers. Not everyone has $1,000 to pay for a smartphone, but there are some pretty solid options out there that can provide a sufficient user experience to meet people’s mobile challenges. Let’s take a look at some of the options.

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Go Beyond a Firewall to Secure Your Business

Go Beyond a Firewall to Secure Your Business

Some terms are thrown around like everyone knows what they are. This is especially the case with IT and technology solutions. Perhaps it’s a result of them being around for quite some time in professional environments, but it doesn’t help those who are unfamiliar with the technology. One term that we should all understand is “firewall,” as it’s omnipresent in the business sector, but it’s far from the only security solution you’ll need to guarantee safety.

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How Software as a Service Fits Into Your Business’ Technology Plans

How Software as a Service Fits Into Your Business’ Technology Plans

Traditionally, if a business needed a solution to a problem, they would research which technology is the best for the problem they had and go out and buy it. If a company didn’t have the money to buy that solution, they would borrow to buy it so that their business wouldn’t stagnate and fail. In today’s tech-driven business environment there is a much better option than mortgaging your business just to save it.

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Benefits of a Comprehensive Backup Strategy

Benefits of a Comprehensive Backup Strategy

How are you protecting your data from disaster? If you don’t have a backup and disaster recovery platform in place you are missing one of the most crucial parts of managing your business’ data. Think about it, if your organization were to suddenly lose a significant portion of its data, would it be able to continue to function effectively? 

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How SMBs Use Social Media

How SMBs Use Social Media

Social media companies are some of the most powerful entities in today’s world. Their ability to connect people with others of like mind or specific wants and needs often goes overlooked because much of the experience of operating online in today’s climate is adversarial. With the average user spending roughly two hours and 24 minutes per day on social media and messaging apps, companies can use that exposure to promote themselves. Let’s take a look at how small and medium-sized businesses use social media to their advantage.

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Flip and Fold: Innovative New Smartphones

Flip and Fold: Innovative New Smartphones

Last week, we explored the flagship smartphone market. This week we thought we would explore some innovative new devices. There have been some advances in some of the technology used by smartphone manufacturers to create cool new features. Today, we take a look at some of these devices. 

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You Need to Keep a Close Eye on Your IT Investment Strategy

You Need to Keep a Close Eye on Your IT Investment Strategy

Your business depends on a budget to come out in the black at the end of the fiscal year, and the way you invest that budget will have a considerable impact. As you create this budget, your IT needs to be one of your top considerations… after all, it is what effectively powers the modern business. This month, we’ll discuss how diligently incorporating your IT into your budget can help your business be more successful down the line.

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Tip of the Week: Keep Google Keep Working For You

Tip of the Week: Keep Google Keep Working For You

There are a lot of Android apps that are good for productivity, but Google Keep offers a particularly significant advantage. Today we’ll take a brief look at Google Keep and tell you about some features that will help you use it proficiently.

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Don’t Forget to Add These Handy Home-Office Gadgets to Your Shopping List!

Don’t Forget to Add These Handy Home-Office Gadgets to Your Shopping List!

There is no denying that gifts are a major part of the typical festivities around this time of year, so it only seems that having some ideas as to what you’d like to receive to share with others is a helpful contribution. As our way of helping, we’ve decided to share a few tech-based suggestions that would find a welcome home in any home office or remote workspace.

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Smartphone Flagships to Consider Going into 2021

Smartphone Flagships to Consider Going into 2021

The modern smartphone user is dedicated, spending an average of three hours and 15 minutes per day using them. On average, people check their phones 58 times a day. With this amount of traction, it’s not a surprise that people want to get the best devices they can. Today, we will take a look at what makes a flagship phone, and give you a couple of popular options that are available for the power user right now.

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Why is VoIP Seen as Such a Great Business Solution?

Why is VoIP Seen as Such a Great Business Solution?

Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, is a common business communication solution nowadays… but it is still possible that you aren’t aware of what VoIP is and the many benefits it can deliver to your operations. To remedy this, let’s briefly review the concepts behind VoIP, and how your business can embrace them to its advantage.

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The User Experience Using Windows Apps on Chrome OS

The User Experience Using Windows Apps on Chrome OS

After a long period, punctuated by no shortness of user demand, Chromebooks can now finally support Windows applications. Well, in a manner of speaking. Let’s examine the process that now allows a user access to the applications once denied to ChromeOS users, to consider if it is worth using after all.

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Examining Some Unusual Cybercrime Patterns in 2020

Examining Some Unusual Cybercrime Patterns in 2020

As compared to the past few years, there have been considerably fewer successful data breaches in 2020. While this may sound like exclusively good news, there are a few reasons why this information should be taken with a grain of salt.

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How Listening to Your Team Can Improve Your Use of Technology

How Listening to Your Team Can Improve Your Use of Technology

Business leadership is an important trait for more than just a business’ leader by title. It is something that should be present at every level, encouraged by the individual at the top. To do so, it helps to ask your team the right questions to put them in a mindset of responsibility for the business’ well-being. Here, we’ve shared some of these questions to get you started.

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IoT Can Really Make a Difference for Your Business

IoT Can Really Make a Difference for Your Business

For a couple years leading up to 2020, the Internet of Things was all the rage, but for obvious reasons, IoT hasn’t been at the top of many IT administrator’s minds unless it was in an effort to secure file access for the endpoints of a newly remote workforce. Despite the questions surrounding revenue and budgets, IoT can bring a lot of value to the small business. Let’s take a look at today’s IoT and talk about a few options that you can use for yours.

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Clearing the Ethical Hurdles of Employee Monitoring

Clearing the Ethical Hurdles of Employee Monitoring

Employee monitoring—the practice of keeping an eye on your employees and their computer activity during work hours—isn’t exactly a new practice. However, with remote work suddenly seeing a huge boost in popularity, many businesses have sought to confirm that their workers are spending their work time as productively as possible. If you do choose to go this route, however, it is important to be aware of the lines that you cannot cross.

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How to Establish Fast, Secure Wi-Fi for Guests to Your Healthcare Organization

How to Establish Fast, Secure Wi-Fi for Guests to Your Healthcare Organization

Patients and hospital visitors have come to expect Wi-Fi internet access. It’s no longer seen as an extra convenience, but a requirement for the comfort and confidence of your patients. That said, it’s your responsibility to provide reliable Wi-Fi access that is reasonably fast, secure, and easy to sign into.

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Including VoIP Is a Solid Business Choice

Including VoIP Is a Solid Business Choice

With all the communication tools that businesses use today, there still is no more important option than the telephone system. Unfortunately for small businesses, the telephone system can be expensive and hard to manage. However, there is a way for you to get a fully featured telephone service with some of the most important tools your business needs, at a fraction of the price you currently pay for your enterprise telephone system. 

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Collaborate Better with Microsoft SharePoint

Collaborate Better with Microsoft SharePoint

As businesses continue to adapt to the ever-evolving workforce, many are now supporting a variety of environments. Ranging from hybrid, remote, and in-office, the one constant is the need for your team and clients to communicate with each other. Learn how Microsoft SharePoint can help.

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